Ludlow Information Centre

We spent a couple of hours getting my paintings set up in the Ludlow Information Centre window.
Couldnt get any decent photos from outside because of the reflections in the glass!
It was suprising how many we got put up in the space.
I also included info on my classes and the encaustic art as well.
They have also got some of my greetings cards for sale in the shop.
They tell me it gets lots of interest,as the window changes every 2 weeks-so fingers crossed I sell something out of there!

Encaustic pictures

Here are some of the encaustic pictures created last night at the WI demo.

You can see why the ladies were taken by it--the landscapes took around 20-30 seconds to do.

The abstracts take a bit longer sometimes--Bill does the symetrical patterns-I havent the patience for that like he has.
He makes a lovely job of them.

I like the ones that are cut across with the iron-I like the depth that it creates.
Its great fun to do and you get something different every time.

Alfrick WI Encaustic Demo

We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening last night at Alfrick WI. It was a cold night and its quite a distance from home-so we were keeping our fingers crossed it didnt snow any more while we were there!
I had met one of the ladies on Ludlow market a few months ago and she said she was sure the ladies would love an encaustic demo soI was booked to do one!

There were a few puzzeled faces as we unpacked the irons and hot pens aong with extension cables--Im not sure what they were expecting to see -but what they didi see really seemed to blow them away!
After showing how to load the iron with the wax and producing some abstract pictures-all of which had the usual little faces and creatures appearing in the melted wax, I was asked if I could do a landcape with it.

There were audible gasps as within seconds I had painted a sky, mountains, a lake, bushes,flowers and folliage! I even popped in a few birds for good measure!
The ladies couldnt wait to have a go--they were astonished to find that they could produce great pictures in seconds as well--although they had never had a go before--
luckily I had taken along some stock in case anyone wanted to buy some to have a go at home because I sold a complete set and other bits and bobs in no time.
I also took along some of my oil paintings with details of my classes, there was a lot of interest for that as well.
All in all a great night--no doubt I shall see some of them again soon in the classes!

CHANGE OF VENUE

We have a change of venue for the Painting My Way Classes as of today.

I will be doing them at Upper Fee community room from now on.
Its a lovely room with all the facilities of the old one! The postcode SY81PS
if you want more details on how to find us please give me a ring on 01584 872013 or 07800902488

Display Of My Work

We have been down to the local information centre today to do some measuring up.
I will have some of my work on display in their window for 2 weeks commencing this Thursday 11th Feb.
We will have quite a bit of room by the look of things!
Ive got to get some more price lists done and some information sheets printed up.
Bill has varnished a few of the paintings Ive decided to take with me.
They have a good record of selling from there they tell me! Fingers crossed!
There is a special Valentines Day market this Sunday--we had thought of doing it but the weather forcast is not good-so we are giving it a miss--as the information centre is right by the market anyway,my work will be as much on view as if we were there anyway!

Bits and Bobs

Well I have been busy doing all sorts of bits and bobs today. Ive got yesterdays class onto Youtube-but the program I use is still putting the captions in the wrong place. I cant work out why its happening-will redo it tomorrow now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he--PyIIj4U

Ive got a few paintings to finish off tomorrow, Bill will get them varnished so I can load them onto my website.

Had a surprise this afternoon-Bill was doing a bit more sorting out in the garage when he found a card that had come in the post that not been opened--he remembered the postman handing him the post last week-Bill Said to him" more junk mail ?" the postie said "yes-think so" so the pile had been put on the side and left without being checked.
Bill started shredding some of the stuff I had sorted out today when he came across the card off Lin! .
Lin had hung the painting above her bed and sent me the photo of it--it looks great-just the right place for it. She also made the image into a greetings card-Lin makes my greetings cards for me-and the poppy makes a stunning one!

Birch Tree Class

We had a busy day today in the Birch Tree class. We were 3 down due to work and illness,(Sue , Angela and Graham) but still had 8 in class.
Jess had bought along her mum Joy to the class-Jess has been and painted the Birches before in sepia tones and her mum loved it so much Jess booked her mum as an early Mothers Day pressie.
Jess bought it along to class today so they could use it as a base to work from.
The idea was to end up with a triptych of 3 paintings to hang together. They also bought along a cushion from the lounge where the paintings will be hung-Joy wanted some foxgloves added in one of the pictures that would match in colour-we managed to match it up perfectly in the end with Jess adding foxgloves to the middle painting-you can see the three paintings further down this page.

Catherine also wanted a touch of colour in her painting so I showed them all how to use the encaustic wax pen to melt the coloured wax and create the foxgloves.

Mal was the only newbie today-everyone else had been before.
We had a great variety of pictures today-some on a white canvas, some on a black one and also a variety of canvas sizes too--16in x 20in , 20in x 16in and 36in x 14in .

We had monochrome and sepia shades-so a good mix of everything in class today!

In the first stage where we use sponges to create the background-the effects we got were so so different to each other.
Its very interesting to see how the paintings all develop as time goes on.
As soon as the birch trees start going in the painting really takes shape-I think everyone is amazed by how quickly the paintings take shape--

The time flew by today--it was lovely to see Sue and Celia from last week and although I speak to Liz often on facebook it was lovely to see her in the flesh so to speak!

Lyndsey came to class just before Christmas and enjoyed the Christmas truffles that we had made and taken along to class-Liz remembered them as well-I happened to remember that there were a few left-so off Bill went to collect them from home-they went down a treat with everyone-except for Jess who said they were too alcoholic for her-much to her mums relief and maybe suprise!

Sue mentioned her Vanilla Vodka and Cranberry Christmas cake she made last Christmas--sounded just up our street-and when I got home and finished cleaning brushes , switched on my computer to find an email off Sue telling me she had posted the recipe to me and she had loved her days painting! I dont suppose that we will wait til next Christmas to try out the recipe-we normaly make an extra cake to take along to Shobdon food and drink festival-the extra one seems to have been used up this year-so we have a good excuse to try this one before Christmas.

One of my previous students Sally called in during the lesson to book herself in to a couple of classes-we look forward to seeing her again soon for Serenity and also Mellow Moods.
All in all a great day as usual--looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!

Summer Day class on YouTube

I have got yesterdays class uploaded onto Youtube at last!
Had the same problem again--all the captions appeared in the wrong place so had to re do it!
Not sure why it happens-some blip with the program I use --double checked it all as I was doing it! Any way you can see it here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcfjfXb_eB4&feature=channel

Class Of Jan 30th -Summer Day

We had a lovely day today-
The roads were awful-snow and black ice everywhere so was quite surprised the ladies made it to class at all!

Right from the start the paintings were very different-everyone interpreted the way I did the sky and everything else very differently-we had some amazing skies right from the word go.

Claire came for the first time today came along with her mum Cynthia who has been twice before.

Tamara had her class bought her from her hubby for Christmas-and she said it was the best Christmas pressie she had ever had! At the end of class she said she was flabbergasted at her result. She had been looking at the previous students results on my website and had thought she would never be able to achieve the same results!

Celia and Sue who had both been to class together once before had told her she would be delighted with her end results and not to be worried! And they were right of course!

14 year old Sara was back to do her 5th painting. she is joining us again to paint Mellow Moods and Mystical Moon-she will be getting her artist brooch next time .she once again had the prize for the messiest palette--she ended up using mine halfway through! Its an artwork on its own!

Suzanne found the knife work a bit harder than the brushes-being left handed doesn't help there though-but as soon as she found the right pressure to put on it , the waves came along lovely.

It was amazing to see just how quickly the painting came together-with everyone stepping back and admiring each others work as we went along. It never fails to suprise everyone just how the painting comes along so quickly.
We are seeing Celia and Sue again next week for the Birch tree class and Suzanne is coming to paint Yesterday.

The small amount of paint needed to create the picture always suprises everyone-and its lovely at the end of the painting to use a bit more paint than previous to do the poppies!
The ladies all produced some gorgeous textured poppies-they really set off the seascapes-I was trying out some new liner brushes for the grasses-and they worked great-they will be available shortly off my website.

Im really looking forward to seeing everyone again-and we are sending best wishes and hugs to Claire for the future and hope she gets her op soon and all goes well xx